The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-24

Mr.. Ames felt very tranquil in spirit,
as he leisurely assembled the church
steps, just in time for the opening an
them. As he leaned back in his seat
and glanced over the crowded house.
he said to himself that he, for one. was
glad they were going to have steady
pastor, and he was going to do his best
to encourage him. He'd get intro
duced after service and invite him uE
to dinner tomorrow. He nudged his
wife and confided to her this resolve.
and she said twas 'just the thing"
He craned his neck around to get
sight of the new man, but the desk
completely hid him from view, as he
sat in the large pulpit chair, resting
his head on one shapely hand.
With the last notes of the anthem,
Mrs. Gilkey sailed down the aisle in all
the glory of her new bonnet, while the
husband followed Mt respectful dis
lance behind the swaying plumes and
spreading brim. Mrs. Ames whispered
to her husband that 'twould be just
like the Gilkeys to try to get in ahead
with the minister, that woman was $50
pushing" He must remember and
speak to the minister right after church.
The choir sat down with a futteT
and giggle. There was a brief pause.
Then the preacher advanced to the
desk and announced the hymn. As
the mellow tones of his voice
floated out over their heads the
waiting congregation smiled gracious
approval. But what was it made Mr..
Ames start so violently at the first
words of the reader, stare hard at the
| desk and sink back into his seat with
an expression of blank dismay? Mr..
Gilkey observed it from where he sat
and wondered what it meant. One
look at the minister told the story.
He was the stranger who had shared
| Mr. Ames' seat in the cars the night
before!
The subsequent proceedings were
fraught with painful interest for at
least two of that audience. Mrs. Ames
whispered to her husband that she no.
ticed that Mrs. DR.. Holmes wore a new
| sealskin, but he needed her not, and
when the congregation rose to sing, he
| kept his seat, despite that lady's re-
proving look. He stole furtive glance
at Mr.. Gllkey to see how he bore it.
That gentleman, after some discussion
with his wife, arose, and held the book
for her during the hymn, but he hung
his head and looked crushed in spirit.
Mrs. Gilkey, on the contrary, carried
her head and the new bonnet with con
scious dignity and sang like a robin.
To Mr. Ames' excited Imagination
that service was ten hours long. al
though the clock only indicated al
hour and a half Brandon had moi
heard such a sermon for many a day
but Mr.. Ames, alas! couldn't have told
Il word there was in it. He counted
the pipes in the organ, the crystals OF
the chandeliers, the panes of glass il
the windows, in his frantic attempt:
to make the time pass. But every time
he returned from some abstruse hume
rical calculation only to hear the elO
quent tones of the preacher and behold
the people hanging in rapt attention OF
every word.
Mr.. Ames did not wait to be intro
duced to the minister after the service.
Far from it! He fished his hat out from
under the seat with unwonted alarcity
and made for the door, looking neither
to the left nor right.
That was powerful sermon we've
just heard, wasn't it, Brother Ames?'
began Elder Stanclist, stepping softll
out into the aisle. ''Such depth anC
profundity of thought, such"
But Mr.. Ames stalked past him, witt
averted gaze and pretended not t.
hear.
He damned his hat down over hi
eyes and shot out of the door witt
more haste than dignity. On the cor
ner he stopped and waited for his wife
who demanded sternly how he supposed
that man was going to come up t.
dinner if he wasn't invited? And h
told her, candidly, he was sure h
didn't know.
Monday night the church had meet
ing at which they unanimously voted t
give Mr.. Grant a call. But what wa
their surprise on rendering him tn
pastorate, to find it promptly and posi-
lively declined. He said he felt tina
the responsibilities of the charge woul,
be too great forhis humble powers.
Vain were persuasion and argument
He was firm. and some of the commit
tee suggested, sadly, they were afraiC
he had ''heard something"
The fold is still without a shepherd
The weeds grow lank and tall in tn
parsonage yard, the house is empty
and so are the pews on Sunday morn
ings. And still the candidates com
and go, and report says the people ar
harder to suit than ever.-Lo1UeU Dali
Courier.